A High School Running Back Was Practicing with a Snake in His Helmet

And not some tiny snake – one that was 10-12 inches long. Thinking back to my days loitering at creeks picking up turtles and fishing, I remember garden snakes being about six inches long. But according to the Benton County Daily Record (via the AP, since the BCDR has a paywall):

“I kept hitting, and it just kept bothering me,” Strzelecki told the Benton County Daily Record.

During a break about 15 minutes into practice, Strzelecki took off his helmet and initially believed his teammates were teasing him.

“It looked like a rubber snake, and I thought somebody had pulled a practical joke on me,” he said. “When I grabbed it by the tail, that’s when it jerked, and I dropped the helmet.”

The snake, 10-12 inches long, was killed shortly afterward.

If a fly lands on my leg, I’m instantly brushing it off. Ditto for a spider or any other creepy crawly insect. How could this kid go through a football practice with a snake slithering around in his helmet?